The Fall of the Golden Fox
by TFenn
Summary: MANGA SPOILERS The Golden Fox wins the war, and two forces face off once more. What will happen when the Sharingan beats the Fox? Team seven will meet for the last time, but why is it the last?
1. Chapter 1

**A/N/:** Hello readers! Thank you for the unanimous support for my other story, Naruto: Forgotten Memories. As a reminder, I have a poll going for how to continue that story, which you should be able to find on my (page? wall? whatever it is called when you click my pen name). Hope this new story receives just as much support too! **Just as a note! Spoilers if you haven't read the manga!**

* * *

Naruto looked into the face of his brother, for lack of better word. Sasuke and Naruto had just defeated Kaguya and fought their battle at the Valley of the End. They had saved the Shinobi world and the countless civilians caught up in the madness. And now - as if it was the final answer to everything - they charged at each other, intent on ending it all. For Naruto, it was to prove that friendship and love would save everyone and lead to a better world over one filled with hate and selfishness. For Sasuke, it was to prove that Naruto was that stupid dead-last ninja and that revenge was the right path, and for that Konoha must fall.

 _"Why does it always end this way? I do something good and the Teme just has to prove he is better."_ Naruto charged up his Rasengan, getting ready to fight of exhaustion for this last attack. _"Sasuke was a brother to me, why does he have to do this? Is it not good enough that I am there for him?"_

"What's wrong, Dobe? Getting tired?" Sasuke asked. He was smirking as if he had one the lottery although he appeared to be just as tired as Naruto was. They did just kill an egoistic manic who wanted all the chakra in the world after all - and they called Sasuke selfish... Either way, they were both bleeding from wounds that they no longer remembered how they gained. Naruto's clothes hung to him by mere threads, finally bringing an end to the orange and black jumpsuit. Sasuke's clothes weren't as bad, however they too wouldn't be usable again from that day on-wards.

"Ha! You wish, Sasuke- _chan_! I can still make you kiss the floor with those _perfect_ Uchiha lips of yours, Teme!" Naruto exclaimed. Either by an act of stupidness, or fate itself, both Naruto and Sasuke charged, Rasengan swirling, and Chidori blazing. Just like last time, when they were Genin and Sasuke defected. With a final leap, Naruto flew up and met Sasuke full force. _"Crap, I need more power, or he'll overpower the Rasengan. Just like last time, eh brother?"_

Unknown to Naruto, Sasuke also thought similar thoughts. _"That Dobe. Why is he this powerful? I need more chakra, if only I hadn't used the Sharingan as much."_ The unbearable screeching caused by two opposing forces started to decrease. _"What is he doing?!"_ Naruto's Rasengan was beginning to slip, his control going along with the last of his chakra.

"Sasuke, you were a brother to me. If that means I have to die in order for you to believe in me, in my dream. Then so be it. I tried to pound it into you, Teme, but you wouldn't listen. I tried to show you, but even with those bloody Sharingan eyes of yours, you could not see it. I understand, Sasuke. I understand the need to get revenge for your family-"

"What do you mean you _understand?_ You never _had_ a family!"

"You're right, I didn't have a family. I had no mum to care for me, no dad to teach me. No brothers to tease. No sisters to protect. But I had Tsunade-obaa-san, Snizune-nee-san... Ero-sennin. I had my friends, Kiba, Shino, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Lee, Tenten, and all their sensei's. I even had _Neji_ , no matter what a stubborn prick he was. I had Hinata. I had Sakura, Kakashi. Iruka-sensei... You. But you're right, I didn't have family, but they all my have damn well as been. At least you have memories of those who love you and care for you, is that not good enough? Sasuke! Let's put an end to this. Bye, Sasuke... Brother." Naruto spoke as he released the Rasengan, allowing it to disperse and allowing the Chidori to overpower it. Once more, the quick kill technique sunk into Naruto's chest. Naruto coughed blood as the Chidori entered his lung. Both bodies collapsed to the ground, with Sasuke's hand still in Naruto's chest.

Realising the what happened, Sasuke quickly got off Naruto, doing his best to not injure him. "No. No. No, no, no, no. No! Naruto! No! You can't do this to me! Fuck! Why, Dobe? Screw this. Naruto! Stay awake, I'm going to get Sakura. I'll be right back. Stay awake, you stupid Dobe!" Sasuke was panicking. He had to do something! Running faster then the Yondiame with the Harashin, Sasuke did his best to get to Sakura and back before Naruto died. He jumped over the last rock formation when the pink hair finally came into view.

"Sakura! Sakura!" He yelled, the one mentioned turned at her name.

"S-Sasuke! Where's Naruto?" Sasuke looked away for a second, but looked back at Sakura, fire burning in his eyes. "Sasuke, Naruto isn't coming back... is he?" she asked. The moment where Sasuke's eye's glazed over was all Sakura needed. "Sasuke, you bastard! Shannaro!" A chakra enhanced fist flew towards Sasuke's position. He made no move to dodge, a testament to how horrible he felt inside. Sakura hit Sasuke, creating another new crater on the one of many that littered the landscape. "What did you do to him?!"

"Sa-Sakura." Sasuke ground _"I think she broke a few ribs..._ " He tried to move to a more comfortable position, rather then lying in a crater with rock shards poking at his back, but stopped straight away. He gripped his side and tried to speak again. "Sakura. I deserved that. But can we save that for latter? Please. I need to save him. Please!" Sasuke bowed. Sakura stood shocked. Sasuke was never like this before. If it wasn't for his change of heart in the war, Sakura would have believed he was an impostor. Despite that, she was having doubts anyway. Steeling her resolve, she sent out Katsuyu to get more medic nins as she needed supplies, and looked as Sasuke.

"Sasuke. If Naruto dies, of if this is all a trick. You will die. And, I will take great pleasure in doing it." She allowed a moment for her words to sink in as Sasuke rose. She sighed. "Lead the way." _"I hope this is all a joke. Naruto, are you okay?"_

Meanwhile, Kakashi was wondering what to do. It was as if both of his students had forgotten of his existence, but then again, he had chosen to remain out of sight. _"If Naruto is really dying, I don't know what I'll do. The village had just accepted him. He could be Hokage! Minato-sensei what would you do?"_ He decided to leave a trail for any medic nins or others to follow, in case they couldn't find the way, or if Katsuyu dispelled too early. Still getting used to his new eyes, he pushed off and followed his wayward student and Sakura to the future Hokage.

The sight that greeted him when he arrived wasn't one he wanted to ever see.

Sasuke stood behind Sakura, observing and pumping the last of his chakra into Sakura. Sakura's hands were encased in a green glow, right over Naruto's chest. Naruto wasn't breathing. He ran over and crouched next to Naruto, but knew he couldn't do anything. He had invented the Chidori for a reason. It was an assassination jutsu - no survival. You could make out the chard marks around the bleeding wound where Naruto was electrocuted by it. On the opposite side to his students, he could finally see their faces.

Sasuke was crying. Openly. There was no shame in a good cry, but for an Uchiha to do so was unheard of. Sakura too was crying, but to a lesser extent because she had to focus on her jutsu.

"Naruto. Why? Why would you call me brother and then die? Naruto! Answer me!" Sasuke shouted.

"Sasuke! Shut up! Naruto won't survive if you distract me. I want him to live too! Didn't you think of that? He is my friend too!" Sakura's momentary lapse in concentration meant the green glow ceased for a few seconds. However, that seemed to be for the best because a shuddering breath wracked through Naruto, and his eye's flickered open. The lapse in chakra allowed for the Kyubi's chakra to flow. Naruto was awake once more.

"Guy's..."

"Naruto, stop talking. Save your energy for your recovery." Sakura wept out.

"Kyu-" Naruto turned his head to the side as he coughed blood. Sakura's green glow was dimming. They were nearly out of chakra too. "Kyubi said that he can't... Can't save me... Too much blood and cha-charka loss." He coughed up blood again, as if to reaffirm his point. "I... I'm gonna miss you guys."

"Naruto," Kakashi spoke, for the first time in a while. His two eye's locked onto Naruto. _"So much like Obito and sensei..."_ "Naruto, that's enough. You're going to pull throw. You always do. Just like last time this happened."

Naruto feebly shook his head. "Not... Not this time, Kaka-sensei." He looked in his teachers general direction, his sight was failing, the first sign of the end, or so he was told. He reached a hand out, not sure why, but was relieved when someone grabbed it. He could no longer differentiate between the shadows dancing across his vision and the black shapes of his comrades. Trying to speak once more, he knew that this time was really the last.

"Thanks, guys. For everything. Sakura, you are a sister to me. Kakashi, a big brother to aspire to pass. Sasuke, you were my rival, my friend, my challenge to pass. But most of all, you were my Brother. You said I have no family. That is right. But you guys are. I'm sure my old man would be happy to know that I had siblings like you. Thanks. For being there for me, pulling me out of that hell hole I called life. Before I met you guys, I didn't know how bad my life was, I am pleased to know you." He coughed once more. Sakura had run out of chakra to spare, as had Sasuke. They had taken to supporting Naruto so he wouldn't cough blood and then choke on it, all the while staying within what was left of his view. "I... I love you guys as family. Keep Konoha safe for me, and please, protect it. And Sakura? Please look after Hinata. I don't know what she'll do now." Another cough wracked through him. He knew it was time. He could no longer see and the pain was gone. He couldn't tell if it was still his three comrades there. He just hoped. He could hardly feel person holding his hand or the one supporting his back. He breathed in one last breath, resisting the urge to close his eyes. He was just wishing he could see his friends - no - family one last time. "Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi. Stay safe, and I love you all. Sorry..."

And with that final word, Naruto's eye's closed and he fell limp into his friends hold. A last smile framed eternally on his face, a care free expression not fitting that of someone dying in a war - but he was far from the regular shinobi. Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto - Future Hokage of Konoha - was no more.

Sakura howled. She couldn't bare to see him like this. _"It's all a dream. Right? It's has to be!"_ "Sasuke! Tell me this is a dream! Sasuke!"

Sasuke froze. He was the one holding Naruto up. He gripped the frozen body tighter. "Naruto. How could you? How could you call me a brother and then die before my eyes! How can you mock me like this! Brother - don't... don't leave me." He finally cried. His tears splattering onto Naruto's cold face, making it look as if he was crying to. The seen looked similar to the last time it happened. Naruto on the ground, it was raining, with Sasuke leaning over the top, crying too.

Kakashi was another story. He simply watched his last two students. He knew that he would just have another name to add to the memorial he visits so often, if it was still intact.

Slowly at first, a red glow started to seep out of Naruto's stomach. The tendrils began to wrap around his body, down and around the arms and the legs. Sasuke noticed and began to swat it. "No! Damn demon! You've done enough!"

"Sasuke. Look." Sakura said. The tendrils had begun to heal whatever it touched. The cuts and blood vanished, and the bruises faded. They began to focus on his fatal wound, healing it inside and out. Naruto was left just as scar free as the day he was born. But the tendrils didn't fade. They began to thicken, wrapping around Naruto's body tighter and closer together until Naruto was covered just like he was as if he was in the red Kyubi cloak. He began to glow, brighter and brighter. The three had to look away as Naruto became to bright to look at. Then, as soon as they all had looked away, the bright light had gone.

But so had Naruto's body.

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 **A/N/: That's it for now folks! I'm debating to make it as if Naruto goes back in time and has to do it all again with the memories and power, or Naruto was taken, and awakes in a hidden base and is experimented on - Orochimaru reverts back to his old ways and Naruto needs saving. Comments on how this should go would be helpful please! Till next time, TFenn**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N/:** Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review!

Disclaimer - I don't own Naruto... I really want to though, alas, I do not.

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 _Slowly at first, a red glow started to seep out of Naruto's stomach. The tendrils began to wrap around his body, down and around the arms and the legs. Sasuke noticed and began to swat it. "No! Damn demon! You've done enough!"_

 _"Sasuke. Look." Sakura said. The tendrils had begun to heal whatever it touched. The cuts and blood vanished, and the bruises faded. They began to focus on his fatal wound, healing it inside and out. Naruto was left just as scar free as the day he was born. But the tendrils didn't fade. They began to thicken, wrapping around Naruto's body tighter and closer together until Naruto was covered just like he was as if he was in the red Kyubi cloak. He began to glow, brighter and brighter. The three had to look away as Naruto became to bright to look at. Then, as soon as they all had looked away, the bright light had gone._

 _But so had Naruto's body._

* * *

In a dark room, deep underground, a lone body rested on a table. It was too dark to make out any features, yet the body was male. The dim glow of a candle in the far corner was all the light the room had. It illuminated the jars on the shelf around it, making eyes and fingers visible, along with the odd organ and piece of skin. The heavy door on the far side screeched open, and in stalked a tall... Thing. It seemed to be human, apart from the tail, ears and wings. Oh, and it was more like a lion then a human really. Okay, the only thing that made it seem human was that it walked on its hind legs and had hands. The open door behind the creature allowed more light into the room, making the body's golden locks glow. The creature walked up to the man, stroking his hair before checking the data on near by machinery.

"Soon, Naruto. Soon you can truly be free from the chains of being a human in the ninja world."

And with that, the creature strode back out of the room, locking the door behind him.

And two blue eyes flickered open, before turning to black.

* * *

"Kuso!"

Boom"

"Kuso!"

Boom!

"What am I doing wrong?!"

It was three years since Naruto's body vanished from the battle field. Three long years since the day Team 7 had truly fallen. Sasuke was trying to perfect his new technique - cooking.

Sakura was pregnant, and like all expecting mothers, she had a peculiar appetite and was very, very moody.

"Sasuke~! It the banana and pork cake ready yet?"

Sasuke looked at the food in front of him on the kitchen counter. He didn't know why Kami-sama hated him, but the god had to if Sakura was like this. She wanted the most horrible cake, and Sasuke didn't know how to bake even a sponge, let alone turn on the oven. In a stroke of manly wisdom, he decided to use explosive notes to cook the food. Unfortunately, it was a little over cooked.

"Erm... Sure? I'll bring it out now"

"Hurry up!"

"Hn."

Sasuke carried the cake thing through to Sakura, hoping that she wasn't going to be too upset. Sakura took a look at the cake.

"Sasuke-kun~? What is this?"

Sasuke gulpped. "It's a cake...?"

"Oh, is it now? Care to have a slice with me?"

Sasuke dropped the cake and ran. _"Feck am I having a piece of **that**_!"

* * *

In the Konoha high street, the Konoha 9 were all eating at the most popular restaurant in town - Ichiraku Ramen. After the war, and everyone had heard the tales of Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, many decided to help honour him by eating at his favourite restaurant. The Konoha 9 always ordered an extra bowl when eating there, for old times sake. Also, any money donated was given as mission pay to help search for Naruto, although - after three years - many had chosen to give up.

"-and then Sai even asked what a cake was! I mean really, who doesn't know what a cake is?" Ino said. Sai just sat their and looked on, happy that he had made Ino happy.

Tenten and Lee were finished with their meal, and were about to head out, after paying respects to the Naruto shrine. A single stool stood to one side, where a bowl of ramen was constantly seen.

Tenten and Lee turned to leave, bidding goodbye to the others. They were going to meet up again tomorrow. It was a tradition now, after all, tomorrow was _his_ birthday.

"See you guys at ten, right?" Tenten asked.

"Yeah, usual spot." Kiba replied.

"Yosha! Then lets let the power of You- Ouf!" Lee cried out. "Oi! Watch where you're going! Oh, hey Sasuke! The power of Youth must be stong in this one!"

Sasuke and Lee were both sprawled out on the floor. It looked like Lee and Sasuke were very intimate, with Sasukes arms on either side of Lee's head, and a knee inside Lee's thigh. Being the Uchiha he was, Sasuke quickly stood up and acted as if nothing had happened.

"Oh, hi Sasuke. Are you busy? We were wondering if you're coming to the Hokage monument his year..." Hinata asked. She was still quite upset over Naruto's passing, but was coping well. She took it as an opportunity to make herself stronger because she knew that Naruto wouldn't be happy to see her so upset. She had long gotten over her stuttering.

"Yeah Sasuke! I know Team 7 usually do something else, but all of you should come to our thing too!" Kiba said.

"Stop being troublesome, Sasuke..." Shikamaru moaned.

"... Let me ask sensei." Sasuke said, before rushing off.

"I wonder why he's in such a hurry," Ino thought, resting an elbow on the table, and put her chin in her hand.

"He is in a hurry to escape Sakura. Why you ask? I do not know, yet if you listen you can hear Sakura coming." Shino replied, and sure enough, if you listened closely, you could hear Sakura yelling "Shanaro" at the top of her voice.

Not long after, the group had all finished and got ready to leave in order to make preparations for tomorrow. A man in a hooded cloak walked into the restaurant and sat down on a stool. Only to be kicked off it seconds later.

"Oi! What's your problem?!" He yelled.

"My problem. My problem! Can't you see that the stool is important?!" Choji bellowed back, fist pulled back ready to swing again.

"It's a stool, I want ramen, so I shall sit here and eat it." the man said with a sense of finality in the statement. He turned around, but was pulled back by a different arm.

"My youthful acquaintance, I cannot allow you to sit there. It is reserved for a dead friend of mine. May I ask your youthful name?" Lee asked, not actually shouting for once.

"Isn't it not polite to introduce yourself first?" the man asked.

"Yosha! Forgive my unyouthfulness, dear friend! I am the mighty green beast on Konoha, student to the most youthful Maito Gai! I am Rock Lee! With me here is Tenten, Ino, Sai, Choji, Hinata, Kiba, Shino and Shikamaru!" He said, pointing to each person in turn.

"Nice to meet you, Rock-san. I am Tatsumaki Menma. Can I sit and eat ramen now?" the newly named Menma asked. He crossed his arms, clearly annoyed.

"Tatsumaki-san, we are leaving now, you can sit in our seats." Ino offered.

"Thanks, but can I ask a question?"

"Sure!"

"Who was the dead friend? Why is he so special to you guys to even get a seat and a bowl of ramen in death?"

The group collectively sighed. Although it wasn't rare to meet people from the other towns and cities who didn't know the significance of the stool, they still didn't want to discuss it with a stranger.

"You've heard of Namikaze-Uzumaki Naruto, right?" Shikamaru asked. Menma simply face-palmed.

"Who hasn't?"

"That is his stool."

"Oh..."

"We were his closest friends, although the rest of his team isn't here right now."

"Okay..." Menma bowed his head in shame. Inside, he was laughing, and only really bowed his head to hide his smile. Closest friends to Naruto? Who were they kidding? "Sorry, I'm off now, I'll eat else where."

The group didn't bother telling him it was okay to eat at Ichiraku's. They were all mentally upset over the conversation. However, Shikamaru's mind was swirling with ideas.

"Guys? I don't think we should leave him alone. At least we should shadow him. I'm going to see the Hokage... Troublesome." Shikamaru jumped off with no explanation, although that was quite normal after the war.


End file.
